The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-09-03

c0DDy mouse IN tne cellar.
YES, chile" was Uncle Abe's re-
ply. "Marse Will,"-he turned
mournfully TO me-..it's jes' s'if she
was a gwinter move away. Wen dat
baby's once out OBJ our sight der's no
tellin' whar she is. OATS de way we
feel bout lettin' her go. She mout's
well be in Souf Ameriky as ter be one
street off We want her wild Us. whar
we kin find her."
/ must own that the sympathy which
l felt for the old couple came very near
binding me, vt that moment, to the
ethics Of question. On our removal to
Washington, two years before, we had
employed the husband and wife, on the
earnest recommendation of trusted
friends; and the faithful service which
they had rendered. not to mention the
sterling character Of which they hourly
showed themselves possessed, had in
spired in us very deep interest in
their welfare.
Every morning at breakfast-for our
friends, should have said, returned to
their own home at night. remaining
with us during the day only-Delia
favored us with the neighborhood
gossip of Noah's triumphal progress to-
ward his baby.
Regularly her bulletin ran: "Noah's
bought chany set" dat chile's
gwinter hev Sunday silk dress dat'll
stan alone;" Noah lows he gwinter
mex flower-gyarden mex yeah;" II see
Miss Riggs, an she say Noah done
pucchasc goat"
1t was evident that Della was accom-
modating herself to the inevitable.
Every bit Of news was given with a
more exultant accent than had marked
the delivery Of the preceding one. As
for Abe, he regarded his wife with an
injured expression. so often as she
made remark Of this sort, shaking his
head and signing dismally.
BY the Tuesday preceding the day
on which Noah was to claim his baby,
Della had arrived at state of perfect
contentment, while Abe had grown to
wear such look Of bereavement as
might belt one who had lost every
friend.
On that very day little Eliza mysteri-
ously disappeared!
From Delia's disconnected and tear
full narrative l gathered that she had
worked happily alone in the kitchen
all the forenoon, supposing that the
child was with Abe in the cellar. When
he came for his dinner at noon, she
learned that Eliza had gone upstairs,
ITO find Aunt DEFY" several hours be-
fore. Neither At that time nor since
had my wife or Della seen her.
The only course to be pursued was to
give the case to the police. and this ]
did at once. The distracted father, on
learning the circumstance. employed
additional detectives All that long
midsummer night Noah and haunted
the station-houses for news of the lost
child. None came. We were assured
that the chances were that she would
be found; but she was not, and we re-
turned home weary and heart-sick.
My wife, worn out by sympathetic
sorrow, had retired for few hours of
needed rest Abe and Della lacked the
courage to return to their little home,
where every object brought to their
minds the absent one. Aunt Della,
stretched upon her gorgeously covered
'restin' longe," as she called it,
moaned and wept Uncle Abe, his feet
on top Of the range, alternately fixed
his gaze upon his wife and his blue
socks, at no time manifesting violent
emotion.
"D'ye fin herp' he asked, listlessly,
as we entered. II didn't spec We
would he went on, gathering from
our countenances that the search had
been fruitless one; "'taint't time.
She's all right Oar amt no call to
howl yit, l reckon"
The tone in which this was said
might have indicated that Abe knew
more than he wished to tell, and that
he had good reasons for his confidence
in the child's safety. Fatigued as we
were, however, niceties of emphasis or
meaning were lost on us
When. several hours later, awaken
ed from troubled sleep and prepared
for my work of the day, the situation
was unchanged. There was still nc
news. Aunt Della, with no snatches
Of song on her lips, stepped unsteadily
about her kitchen. Abe was nowhere
to be seen.
HE done been runnin' up m down
FUN de cellar all de mawnin'," said
Aunt Della, irritably, when remarked
upon his absence. Pears like he goes
m hollers down in de coal-hole, m
den comes up yere n makes ugly talk
bout my cryin'. He amt de same man
he was yistiddy."
Nor was Uncle Abe any the more his
old self during the three days that fol-
lowed. Our detectives completely al
fault. were forced to rest the case with
the admission that they could gain nc
clew to the child's whereabouts; and
as the time. went by, Uncle Abe's &c
centricities of manner grew more pro.
nounced and troublesome.
Use afeared Use mizzable sinner
Marse WILL" he said to me, when
rallied him gently upon his oddities
"but ! know dat ar baby's safe!'
As Delia's words in Heated, Abe had
developed an astonishing fondness fol
the cellar as place of resort. All his
spare moments were spent there, in do
ing-so far as we could learn-nothine
at all. Going there, at infrequent in.
tervals, l was sure to find him lowering
like an uneasy spirit, about the stairs
or in the cellar itself.
To add to Delia's troubles-whicf
were real and substantial enough-wt
began, at this time, to suffer from the
deprcdations Of sneak-thieves. Curl
ously enough, they raided nothing ex
cept the pantry; but Delia's toothsomt
viands disappeared almost before hel
eyes, in q manner that bordered closely
upon the miraculous. Aroast chicken
left alone for moment, just befor,
dinner, was invisible when the platter
was prepared for it; and our faithful
servant came at last, with fearful eyes
to tell us that FIVE loaves of cake hae